FIRSTSITE'S trustees have appointed "one of the brightest stars of the arts world" to run the venue.

Sally Shaw will take on the role of director at the controversial Colchester gallery in April.

Ms Shaw's accolades include having been Deputy Head of Culture for Mayor of London Boris Johnson, where she led the 'Fourth Plinth' sculpture installation in Trafalgar Square.

She has also led a number of high profile contemporary art commissions for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Ms Shaw, 40, is currently Head of Programme at the Modern Art Oxford gallery.

She said: "I am delighted and honoured to be taking up this role. Colchester has a unique place in the history of the United Kingdom. Firstsite is therefore a great place to show and make art which resonates within these surroundings and reflects the nature and interests of the people who live and work here."

Anthony Roberts stepped down from the post of interim director on December 31 to return to Colchester Arts Centre, which he salvaged nearly 25 years ago.

He was brought in to save the crisis-ridden gallery in April last year, after it struggled to attract enough visitors and future funding support looked to be in doubt.

Mr Roberts adopted an inclusive approach to the gallery including putting a white van in the foyer and crazy golf in the corridors.

In November, Firstsite's biggest funder, The Arts Council, committed more than £1.6 million over the next two years, crucial for the gallery's survival.

Firstsite has been told it will not be invited back into the Arts Council's national portfolio of organisations until more progress is made and will continue to be closely monitored.

Noorzaman Rashid, chairman of the Firstsite Board of Trustees, said: "Sally Shaw has had an extraordinary career and we are lucky to have attracted one of the brightest stars of the art world to Colchester.

“The challenges at Firstsite are still great but we are going from strength to strength. Visitor numbers are already 30 per cent greater than last year and levels of community engagement continue to grow."

Colchester Council recently agreed to give an extra £100,000 to Firstsite - on top of the £127,000 it paid last year.

Grants from Essex County Council, Colchester Council and Arts Council England alone are expected to top £1.25million this year.

The gallery is also in the process of cutting its £770,000 wage bill.

Tim Young, Colchester councillor for Communities and Culture, added: "Sally Shaw comes to Firstsite with a superb pedigree. She is just the right person to build on the work of the last twelve months and to take Firstsite forward with confidence and a degree of excitement. We, at the Borough Council, look forward to working with her."

From 2006 to 2010 Ms Shaw was Senior Curator for Art on the Underground where she programmed a broad range of ambitious and unconventional artist commissions for a daily audience of 4million London Underground passengers.